Fishing reel



May 15, 1951 'EDWIN P HURD Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHING REEL Edwin P. Hurd, Detroit, Mich., assignor -to Hurd Lock and vManufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., .a corporation of Michigan Application June 1, 1946, Serial No. 673,761

`2'Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a Yiishing reel and more particularly .to a iishing :reel in which the speed of rotation of the line spool 'is read-ily controlled fat al1 times by theuser.

The principal objects of the present invention are:

i. To lprovide a nshing reel `in which a 'combined 'adjustable drag and manually actuated brake mechanism is utilized to assure control or the 'speed orrotation-of :the line spool.

2. To provide Aa fishing reel having an 'enclosed combined ldrag and manually applied brake for controlling -the .speed of rotation ci `the line spool, the reel being characterized by its relative simplicity, making for the Aeconornic'al mass p'rof' duction manufacture thereof; .its rugged construction, making for dependability and long' li'fe in service; Iand its responsiveness to all applied pressures to assure lthe application y'of ia .de'nite and positively controlled 'braking :force on the dang-ed portion ofthe line spool.

3. To provide vva fishing reel in which an adjus-table ldrag is vcombined with la positive, inanually applied, mechanical .brake "to control 'b'oth the speed -fof rotation of the line spool and the positive stopping of :such .rotation "when desired, the Abrake applying mechanism 'being Simple v4in its-'construction and .positive in its operation while being readily controlled 'by ythe user 'through a conveniently located adjustable brake applying ings forming va part :of this f'speciiication where` in 'like reference characters designate .corresponding parts in the -severa-1 views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l1 is a -fragmentarysideelevation with 'parts broken away showing ione type 'fof fishing reel incorporating -the combined adjustable drag and brake mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially fon vthe :line 2&2 Iof Fig. 1 looking in the direction -of the arrows.

Fig. 3 `is a fragmentary crosssection ytaken substantially on the -line s3-#3 4of Fig. 1 :looking in the directionfof lthe arrows.

Fig, 4 -is a schema-tic view showing the operating mechanisms and linkages/of -the-combined'adj-ustable drag y'and brake mechanism "of vthe present YAinvention.

,Before explaining in vdetail -the )present :invention it is to fbe understood thatthe invention -is not .limited in fits 'application =to the details "oi construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the rinvention is capable of other embodiments `and `of being vpracticed or carried out Ain various ways. Aflso it is to be understood `that the phraseology or terminology 'employed 'herein is for the pur# pose vof description and not of limitation.

It is understood 'that the combined adjustable drag and lbrake mechanism -of 'the `present in; vention may be applied vvto any fde'sired type of shing reel mechanism 4in which a rototable line spool is mounted in a reel housing. In the draw` ings I have shown the combined adjustable drag and brake mechanism as applied to a new 'type of reel, the 'structural details of which are more fully disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 675,388, l'ed Tune f8, 1946. fSi-nce @the present invention is 'concerned primarily with the combined adjustable drag 'and brake mecha'- nism, I have deemed it advisable in the interest of simplicity not to show in this application the details of the reel mechanism itself :but have shown only those parts of the :reel `mechaiti-sm which are necessary |-to explain frullyfthefconstrnction and operation -of the com'bmed -adustable drag and -brake mechanism .of the present .fi-nvention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the iish'ing reel there :shown and with which the present :invention may be utilized comprises a body yhousing VIll having fa pistol type handle I I which Vover-lies `a rigid gripping trigger !2 at one end. Theiother-end of the body housing Il! terminates in a :rod :ferru-le seat I3. -fA -line spool (not shown) vis journaled for rotation in the housing t0 and has dished flat ends, one of which 'is indicated at 14. The line spool is operatively connected through a gear train 5 (shown in dotted Yline only) with ka .double crankspool winding handle |16;

When a shing reel,- such as that here shown, is used for bait, fly, or gplug lcasting, it 1is defsirable to control the speed of v'rotation of the line spool in accordance vwith the variable .conditions of each cast. For many years iishermen have controlled ythe 'spool rotation speed `.by thumbing the spool at 'the 'point where :the line is wound Yon the spool. While this method has the advantage of 'being -a `ready 'controlfor the "speed of the :spool during each cast and allows the user vto compensate or the variable factors involved infeachcastgit hasta zwearingeffect on lthe line and -also affects =the Winding of the line' on the spool.

Recently, reels :have Vbeen placed-Ion the-market in which a 'so-.called Sautomatic thumbing idevice is provided, usually in the form of an adjustable drag which may be adjusted in advance of each cast to compensate for certain of the factors such as the weight of the bait, plug, or fly. However. in the use of such adjustable drag devices, it is necessary for the user to rely upon thumbing of the spool in order to control the speed of the spool during the actual cast.

The variation in the weights of artificial lures, baits, and the like, will cause rotation of the line spool at various speeds. This is a relatively fixed factor in each cast with a particular lure, bait or the like and may be compensated for by adjustments of the drag mechanism prior to the cast. Other factors which influence the spool speed during each cast are variable factors during each cast and include Wind velocity and direction, the skill of the sherman, weeds, water conditions, and the like. Each of these variable factors must be compensated for by the fisherman largely during the interval of each'cast of the lure, bait, or the like. The combination of the relatively fixed factors and the variable factors frequently causes rotation of the line spool in\such a manner that the inertia of the spool will cause it to continue to rotate after the bait, lure, or ily ceases to carry out the line on the cast. In this instance, the overrunning of the spool causes tangles in the line or looseness of the line on the core of the spool so that 'subsequent casts are impaired by loose lines, back lashes, and the like. In the instances where a fixed drag is provided to retard the free running of the spool, the length of the cast may be out down. While such so-called mechanical thumbing drag devices simulate the operators thumb in operation so far as concerns the application of retarding force on the line spool, such devices act only to provide a fixed amount of friction causing a predetermined amount cf retardation on the rotation of the spool. They do not, as previously pointed out, provide a brake mechanism which may be mechanically. applied at the option of the operator in order to increase the amount of drag or to bring the spool to a complete stop during the cast in order to compensate for the variable factors which may be involved in each cast. The adjustment of the mechanical thumbing devices provides a fixed amount of drag on each cast and there is no control or variation'of this amount of dragl during the cast so as'to assure the' optimum operation of the reel. It is important that length of the cast be not unduly impaired by the amount of the fixed drag applied, yet the free running spool must be readily controlled in order to prevent its over-running of the line.

According to the present invention I have provided a combined adjustable drag and manually applied mechanical brake which, as shown in the drawings, comprises a brake member I1 in the form of a cylindrical plunger member mounted for reciprocation in an orifice I8 in the housing I0. A facing I9 of brake friction material, such for example as chrome tanned leather or the like, is mounted'on one end of the brake member I1 and is moved into frictional surface contact with the braking surface of the dished spool end I4 When the brake or drag is applied. As here shown, the frictional surface is brought into engagement with the enclosed braking surface of the dished spool end I4 at a point near its periphery so that the braking force is applied and effectively distributed over a large area on the 4 permitting the maximum braking effect from a minimum amount of braking effort exerted through the brake mechanism. Y

Movement of the brake member I1 into brake applying position is under the control of the operator through a brake linkage which comprises a resilient brake arm 2l! which extends through a brake' arm channel 2| in the housing I0. The brake arm channel 2I acts as a bearing in which the resilient brake arm 2li is journaled. One end 22 of the arm 2IJ is connected with the brake member I1, as for example, by extending through a hole drilled in the end of the said brake member I1. The other end, 23, of the arm 20 is attached to a brake connector plate 24 which is connected with an adjustable brake applying button 25 by means of a screw threaded shank 26 which is secured to the button 25 and has a screw threaded engagement with the brake connector plate '24.

The adjustable brake applying button 25 is mounted in a bushing 21, which in the present instance is screw threaded into the body of the housing II), but which in other instances may be a pressed iit member. The bushing 21 is provided With an inturned end flange 28 which is adapted to contact an enlarged collar 29 on the base portion of the button 25. A coil spring 3U is seated ina spring pocket 3| which is provided in the housing IIJ and exerts a resilient pressure directed upwardly on the bottom of the connector plate 24 to hold the button 25 in its raised position so that the collar 29 contacts the inturned end flange 28 of the bushing 21 at all times. This permits the button 25 to be depressed by pressures exerted thereon by the user.

By rotation of the button 25 the connector plate 24 is raised or lowered in relation to the bottom of the button 25 and thus moves the brake arm 2D, either to move the brake member I1 out of or into frictional engagement with the end I4 of the spool. If it is desired to provide a drag on the spool, this is accomplished by adjustment of these mechanisms by turning the button Z5 so as to move they brake member I1 into the desired amount of engagement with ythe end I 4 of the spool member. Thus, the `amount of frictional contact between the brake member I1 and the end I4 of the spool is controlled by the adjustment of the button 25. After the amount of drag is thus adjusted to provide the minimum drag desired, added drag or braking pressures may be applied on the spool during the cast by the exertion of pressures on the button 25 to effect its depression. The pressures on the button 25 are yieldably resisted by the spring 30 so that a cushioned or resilient braking effect is achieved at all times.

If it is desired `to` stop rotation of the spool completely, this is achieved at any time by exert-r ing additional pressurs on the button 25 so as to cause the connector plate 24 to move down-l wardly in the direction of the arrows as shown in Fig. 4 and this movement causes the brake applying member 2l! to move the brake member I1 from its full line position to the dotted line position there shown, and thus to apply a brak-vv ing force on the end I4 of the spool.

Thus it will be seen' that the present invention provides a readily adjustable drag on the spool member of the reel and at the same time permits control of the spool rotation during each casting operation so that the actual speed of rotation of the spool is at all times under the posispool end, thus reducing localized Wear and 5 tive control of the operator. It will also be seen that the combined adjustable drag and brake mechanism here disclosed is completely enclosed within the reel housing and within the flanged end of the spool. Hence Water, dirt, grit, oil, and the like cannot affect the desired operation of either the drag or the brake mechanism. It Will be apparent that the combined adjustable drag and brake mechanism of the present invention may be applied to any desired type of shing reel merely by providing the necessary openings in the reel housing to accommodate the parts of the mechanism here disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a shing reel having a housing and a rotatable line spool journaled therein, a combined drag and brake mechanism actuated and controlled by the operator during a cast to control the rotation of said spool, said drag and brake mechanism comprising a push button mounted for rotational and axial movements for actuating a brake member, said brake member having an end in frictional engagement with said spool, a brake arm having its one end in operable relation with said brake member for actuating same, said brake arm having its other end threadedly secured to said push button to be moved axially with respect thereto on rotation of said push button for adjusting the constant friction drag of said brake member on said spool,

and said brake arm being operable in response tion brake member mounted Within said housing for movement relative to said spool for frictionally engaging the latter, a push button mounted for rotational and axial movements in said handle for actuating said brake member, a brake arm having its one end in operable rela,- tion with said brake member for actuating same, said brake arm having its other end operatively secured to said push button to be moved axially with respect thereto on rotation of said push button for adjusting the constant friction drag of said brake member on said spool, and said brake arm being Operable in response to axial movements of said push button to apply a manually controlled variable braking effect on said spool.

EDWIN P. HURD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

yUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,622 Titus, Jr Sept. 6, 1887 422,786 Holzmann Mar. 4, 1890 1,204,856 From Nov. 14, 1916 1,299,959 Keyser Apr. 8, 1919 1,948,333 Case Feb. 20, 1934 2,208,493 Brett July 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,876 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1910 of 1910 

